Dioscorea daunea
Family: Dioscoreaceae
What it is like
A yam. It is a robust climber. It can grow 25 m tall. The tubers occur as 2 or 3 together. They are 5-12 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. The stems are 3-7 mm across and twine to the left. The re-grow each year. The leaves are simple and alternate. The leaf blade is broadly oval to sword shaped. There can be bulbils in the axils of the leaves near the ground. The flowers hang down.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in forests in peninsula Thailand. It is often on limestone and near water. It grows between 20-1,400 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Indochina, Myanmar, SE Asia, Thailand
How it is used for food
It is bitter. It needs treatment before eating. Some kinds are simply boiled, peeled and eaten.
It is a famine food.
Edible parts
Tuber, root
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Suna